Staying spiritually full can be challenging when you’re single. Dating itself can be full on, and whilst you’re busy planning dates and organising meet ups, it can be difficult sometimes to stay on track with your spiritual walk. Seeing friends and others couple up and get married can stir up unwanted feelings and emotions which if dwelled upon, can impact one’s spiritual life negatively. So, what can you do?
Here are eight things that can help with staying spiritually full whilst single and dating:
Prayer
The Bible tells us to pray about everything (Philippians 4:6) and to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17). This means we should be praying about our dating life as well! If you want to stay spiritually full whilst single and dating, don’t neglect your prayer life. You can pray about who to meet, what you should do on dates, and ultimately for guidance on whether someone is the right person for you. If you’re yet to meet someone, maintaining a healthy prayer life also helps you to stay content and allows you to hear God more clearly as He speaks to you about your life and future.
Bible reading
Speaking about hearing God clearly, one of the main ways God speaks to us is through His word, the Bible. The Bible is not just a book of nice stories but can be seen as God’s love letter to His children. It gives us guidance on how to live our lives, individually, and in relationship with others. We can find encouragement for when we feel weak, and comfort in our trials. If you’re feeling spiritually dry, try to incorporate Bible reading into your daily routine.
Journaling
As you sense God speaking to you through prayer and Bible reading, you might want to write down what you feel He is saying to you in this season of your life- a particular Bible verse that you find encouraging, that you want to remember, or even just how you’re feeling currently. Writing down your thoughts- whether positive or negative- can be a great way to unburden oneself, and as you write them down, you can also commit them to God in prayer- He wants us to cast our cares upon Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).
Listening to Christian music and worshipping
Listening to Christian music can help to keep us spiritually full. The lyrics of most Christian songs focus on who God is, His goodness, greatness and faithfulness. As you listen and worship God with singing, it can help focus your mind on Him and draw you closer to Him.
Support from Christian friends and church family
We were never meant to be an island as human beings, and definitely not as Christians. Being part of a church family is crucial for our Christian walk- you can receive encouragement when you’re down, and just being around people with a similar spiritual mindset will give you that spiritual top up we all need every so often.
Meeting other Christian singles
Like spending time with Church family and friends, meeting other Christian singles can help keep you spiritually full – they have a similar mindset as you, but they have the bonus of knowing what you’re going through as a single person. Hanging out with other Christian singles can be encouraging- apart from the fact that you might get to meet someone special, it can be spiritually uplifting just to know that you’re not alone.
You could look at expanding your circles through the Single Friendly Church Network, or joining a Christian Connection meetup.
Balancing dating with other things in life
Dating can take up a lot of time, and whilst it’s important to give it the attention and time it needs, it is also important to balance it with other things in life. Like, making time for friends and family, your own hobbies and other interests. In other words, your dating life shouldn’t be your whole life. Life is meant to be lived to the full, and giving other areas of your life the attention they need is also a way to top up your spiritual tank.
Pursuing your passions and doing whatever God has called you to do
We all have specific things that we enjoy, but beyond that, things that we were created to do. One way to keep spiritually full is to make sure that you are pursuing your passions and spending time doing whatever it is God created you to do. Doing this can give a sense of fulfilment and purpose that makes up for some of those days when you might be feeling a bit low.
There are many ways to keep spiritually full when single and dating, with prayer, Bible reading, and spending time with Christian friends being just a few of them. Whilst the single life can come with its challenges, staying spiritually full doesn’t have to be one of them if you incorporate some of these habits into your life.
What have you found helps with staying spiritually full?
Read more by Urenna Kiwanuka here
